Process for the manufacture of alcohols and acetone



Patented Aug. 25, 1925.

EDWARD I-IALFORD STRANGE, OF HOLBOBN, LONDON, ENGLAND.

PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ALCOHOLS AND ACETONE.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD HALFORD STRANGE, a subject of the King of theUnit ed Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 7 Staple Inn,I-Iolborn, London, W. 0., England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Processes for the Manufacture of Alcohols and Acetone(for which I have filed an application in Great Britain on 9th January,1925), of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in connection with fermentationprocesses for the manufacture of alcohols and acetone.

Hitherto the manufacture of butyl alcohol and acetone has been carriedout in a mash which is weak in fermentable content as compared with themash normally employed in the manufacture of ethyl alcohol. Forinstance, it is quite usual to find that the mash employed in the formerprocess contains only one third or one fourth of the amount offermentable matter which the mash employed in the latter processcontains.

It is obvious that, could the manufacture alcohol and acetone be carriedout economically in a stronger mash than that now normally employed,important economies in utilization ofplant might be effected, because aunit of fermentation plant could have an increased output in a unit oftime.

I have now found that, if mash suitable for the production of ethylalcohol by the action of yeast be provided and that if to such mash beadd ye as and als, of the type know e apable 0 ing butyl alcohol andacetone, for example a bacillus of the type of the butylie bacillus ofFitz, the two fermentations, namely the ethyl alcohol fermentation andthe butyl alcohol and acetone fermentation proceeds simultaneously and Ihave found that when the fermentations have ceased the fermented mashcontains ethyl alcohol, butyl alcohol and acetone.

The fermentation process can be conducted at temperatures varying fromabout Application filed. April 4, 1925. Serial No. 20,858.

' wholly or partly of Jerusalem artichokes may be employed if thecarbohydrates contained therein are previously subjected to ahydrolyzing process. Saccharose or cane sugar, molasses and glucose arevaluable constituents of mashes employed in processes in accordance withthis invention.

In carrying out the invention, I may add the two ferments to the mash atthe same time or I may add either of them after the other. I prefer tooperate in closed vessels but I can operate in open vessels or invessels provided with loose covers. Substantial production of butylalcohol and acetone and also of ethyl alcohol only takes place inapproximate absence of air, but the great evolution of carbon dioxide bythe yeast and of carbon dioxide and hydrogen by the bacteria rendersapproximate absence of air possible to attain in open or in partiallyclosed vessels provided the vessels be not worked full or nearly full ofmash.

This invention has an advantage in that it enables a mash made from orcontaining molasses to be employed since the yeast breaks the sugar downto a form which is suitable for both yeast and the butylic bacillus toact upon.

I claim 1. A process for the manufacture of alcohols and acetone inwhich both yeast and bat itei i aycapable of producii'ig ti'tyl alcoholand acetone are added to a mash which is suitable for the production ofethyl alcohol by the action of yeast.

2. A process for the manufacture of alcohols and acetone in which yeastis first added to a fermentable mash and, after the fermentation is inoperation, bacteria capable of producing butyl alcohol and acetone arethen added.

3. A process forthe manufacture of alcohols and acetone in which bothyeast and bacteria capable of producing butyl alcohol,

4. A process for the manufacture of alcohols and acetone in Which yeastis first added to a fermentable mash made from molasses and, after thefermentation is in operation, bacteria capable ofproducing butyl alcoholand acetone are then added.

5. A process for the manufacture of alcohols and acetone in which bothyeast and bacteria of thetype of the butylic bacillus of Fitz are addedto a l'ermentable mash Which is suitable for the production of ethylalcohol by the action of yeast.

6. A process for the manufacture of alcohols and acetone in Which bothyeast and bacteria of the type of the butylic bacillus of Fitz are addedto a fermentable mash made from molasses.

. s 7. A process for the manufacture of alcohols and acetone in Whichbotlryeast and bacteria capable of producing butyl alcohol and acetoneare added to a fermentable mash made from molasses and other fermentablematerial.

8. A process for the manufacture of alcohols and acetone in Which yeastis first added to a fermentabe mash made from molasses and otherfermentable material and, after the fermentation is in operation,bacteria capable of producing butyl alcohol and acetone are then added.a

9. A process for the manufacture of alcohols and acetone in Which bothyeast and bacteria of the type of the butylic bacillus of Fitz are addedto a fermentable mash made from molasses and other fermentable material.

ED'VVARD I-IALFORD STRANGE.

